PCM Code P0420 TWC System Low Efficiency Bank 1-A

Well, WTF does that mean. It has a H and C next to it and my check engine light just popped on.
Any help is appreciated.
Chris

 

Is your exhaust stock??

This looks like an issue with your catalyic converters. Clear the code and see if it reapears. I just cleared about 20 codes from the last 3 years... nothing has come back since the last 300 miles.

 

Possible bad catalytic converter.

DTC P0420 or P0430

Circuit Description
In order to maintain low emissions of hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), and oxides of nitrogen (NOx), the engine controls system uses a 3-way catalytic converter. The catalyst within the converter promotes a chemical reaction, which oxidizes the HC and CO that are present in the exhaust gas. This reaction converts these chemicals into harmless water vapor and carbon dioxide. The catalyst also reduces NOx, converting NOx into nitrogen. The powertrain control module (PCM) monitors this process using heated oxygen sensor (HO2S) bank 1 sensor 2. HO2S bank 1 sensor 2, located in the exhaust stream past the 3-way catalytic converter, produces an output signal which indicates the oxygen storage capacity of the catalyst. This determines the catalyst's ability to effectively convert the exhaust emissions. If the catalyst is functioning correctly, the HO2S bank 1 sensor 2 signal will be far less active than the signal that is produced by HO2S bank 1 sensor 1. This indicates that the 3-way catalytic converter's oxygen storage capacity is below an acceptable threshold.

The PCM performs this diagnostic during idle. When the conditions for running this DTC are met, the following conditions occurs:

The PCM captures the current rear HO2S rich-to-lean status.
The air-to-fuel ratio transitions from rich to lean or from lean to rich, depending on the capture rear HO2S rich-to-lean status.
The air-to-fuel ratio transitions a second time opposite the first air-to-fuel ratio transition.

The PCM captures the response time of the front and rear heated oxygen sensors when the air-to-fuel ratio transitions occur. The HO2S response time goes from less 300 mV to more than 600 mV, and from more than 600 mV to less than 300 mV.

The PCM measures the time it takes the rear HO2S voltage to cross a reference rich-to-lean threshold, minus the time it takes the front HO2S voltage to cross the same rich-to-lean threshold. The difference between the front HO2S time and the rear HO2S time is the oxygen storage capacity of the catalyst. This DTC sets if the time exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Conditions for Running the DTC
DTCs P0101, P0102, P0103, P0106, P0107, P0108, P0112, P0113, P0116, P0117, P0118, P0128, P0131, P0133, P0134, P0135, P0137, P0140, P0141, P0151, P0152, P0153, P0154, P0155, P0157, P0158, P0160, P0161, P0171, P0172, P0174, P0175, P0200, P0300, P0335, P0336, P0341, P0342, P0343, P0351-P0358, P0410, P0440, P0502, P0503, P0506, P0507, P0606, P1120, P1133, P1134, P1153, P1154, P1220, P1336, P1415, P1416, or P1441 are not set.

The intake air temperature (IAT) is more than -7°C (19°F), but less than 75°C (167°F).

The barometric pressure (BARO) is more than 74 kPa (10.7 psi).
The engine is operating.

The engine coolant temperature (ECT) is more than 75°C (167°F), but less than 117°C (243°F).

Since the end of the last idle period, the engine speed is more than 850 RPM for a minimum of:
17 seconds for manual transmissions
27 seconds for automatic transmissions
The Closed Loop fuel control is enabled.

Conditions for Setting the DTC
The PCM determines if oxygen storage capability of the catalytic converter has degraded to less than a calibrated threshold.

Action Taken When the DTC Sets
The malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) is turned ON.

A DTC is stored in memory.

The Freeze Frame/Failure Records are stored.

The Failure Records are updated after the first failure of each ignition cycle.

Conditions for Clearing the MIL/DTC
The control module turns OFF the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) after 3 consecutive ignition cycles that the diagnostic runs and does not fail.

A current DTC, Last Test Failed, clears when the diagnostic runs and passes.

A history DTC clears after 40 consecutive warm-up cycles, if no failures are reported by this or any other emission related diagnostic.

Clear the MIL and the DTC with a scan tool.

 

Patches,
Thanks! I was hoping you would see this and post. My car has a vortech s-trim along with a set of kooks headers with high flow cats. So it is possible that one of the cats is bad? I appreciate all the help you guys have given me.
Best,
Chris

 

Considering the above description, is the converter bad or one of the o2 sensors? What now? Swap parts at 60 to 80 bucks or a converter at ??? Thanks

 

Chris,
I have the same problems..now with both codes!!....20 and 30
Mine is a 98 with only 36k on it..
At first,I thought maybe an 02 sensor,because I only had one code...
I cleared it and it came back..as well as the other side
Btw... I still retain stock cats and exhaust manifolds( however ,I have a catback and vararam)

I am a little confused...It seems unlikely to me BOTH sensors or BOTH cats at the same time???I dunno
I have heard that the emmissions systems are guaranteed for 8 years or???? mi.

I do not know where to start...maybe my own thread

 

weird, because mine is an 03 with highflow cats and headers vortech s-trim. seems unlikely that our troubles are related due to the differences, but who knows? i am going to clear mine and see if they pop back up. I will keep this thread alive; maybe for 10,000 views like one in our classified section! :-)

 

If you've got a scanning tool you could log the O2 sensor readings and get an idea of how they are performing. Bank 1 is driver's side so look there first. It's not an easy test but you could also swap driver-passenger sensors and see if the code pops up on bank 2. As far as a bad cat - it's certainly not unheard of in an FI app.

 

Patches,no scan tool here and both codes,so I don't see how a swap could benefit me

But, It would be easy to do now that she sits on a kwiklift!

I am out of this thread, will start my own...sorry Chris!

 

I got this code p0420 in my 427 twin turbo lpe c5.
Before the engine got this code, I got the p0327 code.

The car does not making power after the engine warmed up.

Does anybody can tell me what´s going on??

Thanks for help!!